Apparatus for distilling oil



July l; 1930. s, SCHWARTZ 1.768.955

APPARATUS FOR DISTI'LLING OIL Filed Feb, is, 1922 7 sheets-shew l 'July l', 1930- s. SCHWARTZ 1,768,965 AAPPARATUS FOR DISTILLING OIL Filed Feb. 18, 1922 7 Sheets-sheet 2 July 1, 1930.

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Filed Feb. 18 ,l 1922 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 July 1, 1930. s. SCHWARTZ' APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING OIL Filed Feb. 18 1922 '7 Sheets-5h96,

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COMPANY, OP new Yoan, NQY., A CORPORATION CP DELAWARE APPARATUS Pon nisTiLLINe OIL Applicationdle February 18,1922. Serial 310.537,415.l

This invention relates toapparatus ,for distilling oil, and the illustrated apparatus is particularly designed for useas a topping plant for removing the lighter constituents, amounting usually to about forty fpercent of the Whole, Vfrom crude oil, suchy for ein ample, astliat known to the trade as Kansas crude, and dividing them into a seriesfof distillates, each ldistillate having a boiling point range Within the limits fined by commercial requirements.

2in important object of the invention is to provide van apparatus for distilling oil, whereby distillation maybe carried on with the greatest possible" conservation of heat and rWithout superlieating or cracking the oil vaporsV to any substantial degree.

ln accordance With an important feature ,of the invention, the oil While confined so as to retard its vaporization is subjected to intermittent heating Operations, intermediate betWeeiiWhich it is relieved from confinement and Widely distributed to permit to be vaporized inaccordance With the temperatures imparted to it by the heating operations and is then distilled with steam. rl`he invention, accordingly, kpossesses the advantages of alternate heating and vaporization ofthe voil in that superheating and cracking of the oil avoided and also the advantages incident to the use of steam in distillation.

rlhe invention further ycontemplates,y in connection with Aalternately heating oil and withdrawing vapors from it, condensinga portion4 of the vapors given off after each successive heating operation separately from the vapors given off after the preceding ll'ieating operation and then, combining the uncondensed portion of thevapors With the vapors given olf after the preceding heating operation. lnthis Way therconstituentsof the oil of like character are quite` closely grouped after a single distillation,

A still further feature of the' invention relates to the manner Of re-distilling lor rerunning the separately condensed primary distillates, which is `characterized by thererunning of the distillates in separate bodies, the residue from tliefbodies` of 'lighter distillat'es ,being advanced in series to the bodies of heavier distillates.'` Preferably, also, the vapors .leavingthe bodies of distillate are scrubbed byfa regulable quantity of fresh primary distillate 'so f that only vapors 'of definite gravitypass from the bodies., The character ofthe vsteps by Which the oil is vaporized, fractionally condensed, and rerun enables it to be classified so precisely as toboiling points las not to require further distillation.y c y A ln another aspect pertaining especially to the conservation of heat so as to minimize the consumption of fuel, tlielmethod of this invention possesses various features ofv novelty and importance.` ln accordance with one of such features, the vapors resulting f from the primary distillation are condensed by exchange ofv heat betvveen them andthe incoming crude oil, and the heat y in the i'esiduum from the primary distillation is utilized to re-distil the condensed distillates.

Still other important'features ofthe invention relate to novel and improved'means for heating and vaporizing the oil, condeiising the oil vapors, andre-running the primary distillates. In the illustrated construction, the oil,the initial heating of Which is effected in pipe coils, is charged between the vsuccessive heating operations into vapor separators equipped with baffles to facilitate the separation of vapors frointhe liquid oil,aiid the vapors are fractionally condensed in vapor heat exchangers by interchange of heat between them and the incoming crude oil, the arrangement being suoli that the :vapors given olf after `each heating operation pass through heat exchangers separate from those through Whiclivapors pass from the preceding heating'operation and 'then 'through the last-mentioned exchangers The condensed distillatesare supplied continuously to rel-run stills constructed to'enable the distillates to be heated in the presence of steam by the residuum from the primary distillation. The re-run stills are connected in series so that the residue from the. stills containing the lighter distillates is conducted to the. stills containing the heavier distillates, and the ies'iduuin from the primary distillation is caused to flow through the re-run stills counter-current to the direction of flow of the still residues. The gravity of the vapors which pass from the re-run stills is controlled by crock towers into which distillate may be directly discharged from the vapor heat exchangers.

The invention further aims to provide a final vapor separator in which the oil that passes through the pipe coils and vapor separators has evaporation completed by the heat of the flue lgases leaving the pipe stills. Although the invention is herein described as embodied in a topping plant'for crude oil, it is recognized that the principles of the invention are not restricted in their application to the distillation of oil in its crude form or to the removal of the lighter constituents of the oil only. It is, therefore, intended that the scope of the invention shall not be limited except as required by the claims. n

Other objects and featuresv of the invention will be apparent as the description proceeds and will be pointed out in the claims.

The invention will be described by referencev to the accompanying drawings, in

1 which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical plan view of the'topping plant;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation with parts shown in section of the plant looking from crock tower and re-run still units;

Fig.'7 is a vertical sectional view of the yfinal vaporizing tower;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view of the initial vaporizing tower;

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the residuum heat exchanger;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the heat exchanger looking from the right in Fig. 12;

Fig. 1l is a plan'view of the heat exchanger Fig. 12 is a view in section showing the manner in which the ends of the inner tubes of the heat exchanger are mounted in the outer tubes;

Fig. 13 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 13-13 of Fig. 12; I

Fig. 14 is a section taken on the line 14-14 of Fig. 10, showing the devices for supporting the inner tubes of the heat exchanger in properly spaced relation in the outer tubes; and

Fig. 15 is a section taken on the line 15--15 of Fig. 14.

In the present exemplification of the invention, the topping plant comprises in general, two furnace heated pipe coils, three vapor separating towers, eight vapor heat exchangers, five re-run still and crock tower units for re-distilling the primary distillates, a residuum heat exchanger, a number of box condensers of the conventional type for condensing the distillates, and coolers for such products of the operation of the plant as require cooling. For the sake of convenience of description, the vapor separating towers will generally be referred to in the ensuing specification and claims as vapor separators, and the vapor heat exchangers which serve fractionally to condense the vapors from the vapor separators by exchange of heat between the vapors and the incoming crude oil, will generally be denoted fractional oil condensers.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings, the fractional oil condensers are designated by the numerals 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16, and the vapor separators by the numerals 20, 22 and 24.

'lVhen the plant is in use, crude oil is forced into the fractional oil condenser 2 (Fig. 1) by a pump 2G along a pipe 28. Each of the fractional oil condensers is connected with the pipe 28 byinlet and outlet pipes 30 and 32 respectively, and between each'pair of pipes 30 and 32, the pipe 28 is provided with a valve 34, which is normally closed but may be opened either partially or wholly whenever it is desired to reduce or suspend the flow of crude oil through the corresponding condenser. The pipes 3() and 32 are controlled 'by valves 33 (Fig. 2) which are normally open but may be closed to by-pass the flow of crude oil entirely around any of the condensers.y

During the passage of the crude oil through the fractional oil condensers, an exchange of heat takes place between it and the vapors from the vapor separators, as the result Vof which a portion of the vapors is condensed and the temperature of -the crude oil is raised. After the crude oil returns to the pipe 28 from the final condenser 16 of the series, it flows along the pipe 28 to a pipe 3G (Fig. 1), which connects with branch pipes 38 and 40 leading to the sections 42 and 44 respectively of the residuum heat exchanger 43. The residuum heat exchanger 48 is built in two sections so that half of it may be by-passed, when necessary, for repairs and during cold weather. The temperature of the crude oil is further raised in the heat exchanger 43,' from which the oil issues along branch pipes 46 and 48 connected to a pipe 50. The pipe 50 then conducts the oilto the vapor separator 20, which will be referred to hereinafter as the first vapor separator. w

In the foregoing description, it has been assumedfthat all ofthe crude oil Hows first through the fractional oil condensers '2, 4,`

` bine the two streams of'oil and charge them together Vinto the 'vapor separator `2O. To this end, the pipes 28 and 50 (Fig. l) are joined by apipe 52 on the outlet side of the fractional oil condensers, whereas on the inlet side of the condensers, the pipe 28 is connected to the'pipe 36 by a pipe Valves 56, 58 and 60 control the flow of oil through the pipes 36, 52 and 54 respectively. With this construction, if the valves 58 and 60 are closed and the valve 56 is open, the

V-crude oil" will ilow lin series through the fractional oil condeiisers and the iesiduum heat exchanger.` If, however, the valve 56 is closed and the valves 58 and 60 are opened to the appropriate degree, half or any desired portion of the oil will lowalong the pipe 28 to the fractional oil condensers and thence vthrough thepipe 52 to the-pipe 50,'

and the other half orportion will pass through the pipes 54 and 36 to the residuuni heat exchanger 43 and thence to the pipe 50. The respective proportions of the oil which pass through the fractional ,oil condensers and the residuum heat exchanger may be varied as desired by operating the valves 58 and 60. In this inanneigthe crude oil' maybe caused to exert the requisite cooling effect on the vapors in the fractional oil condensers.

Thevapor separators 2O vand 22 are'so nearly` alike that theconstruction of each of them can be readily understood from exam` ination of separator 20 shown in Figs. 2 f rand 8. This separator consists of a vapor separating chamber 61 andk an oil reducing chamber 62. The oil to be vaporized is introduced through a pipe jt'o a distributor v63 and passes downwardly-across a series of outwardly projecting conical distributing plates 64. The vaporizing oil passing from the distributing 4plates Vor bailies 64` falls upon inwardly projecting,v bajiies 65, by which it isv returned to baiiies 64 lower in the separator. The vapors released from the oil pass out of the chamber 61 through outlets 66 which are located behind the baie 65 and on the upper portion of the chainber. These outlets are located throughout the length of the chamber, which assists in carrying olf the vapors without requiring'L them to pass upwardlythrough the chamber to be scrubbed by the unvaporized oil passing downwardly through the chamber. The

vapors passing through the outlets 66 are collected in a conduit 67 from which they pass to a fractional oil condenser. The oil passing from the vaporizing chamber 61 collects in an enlarged chamber 62 at the bottom of the separator. .In this chamber is vlocated a steain coil 68 by, which free steam may be introducedinto the bodyOf the oil. rlhe introduction of steam creates partial pressures within the separator to assistthe vaporization of thel oil, and to `also aid in carrying the vapors out of the chamber. By ineansof the steam coil the gravity and character of the oil in the chamber 62 can be controlled as desired. An outlet 69 is provided in the bottom of the. chamber by which thennvaporized iesiduuin may be withdrawn from the separator.

By the time the crude oil has passed through the fractional oil condensers or through the residuum heat exchanger 43 or both, kits temperature is raised above .the

boiling point of certain of its constituents.

rhe vapor separators are designed to release vapors from the oil at atmospheric pressure. Consequently, when the oil is introduced.

into the vapor separator 20, a portion of it is vaporired. The vapors pass off at the top of the separator 20 through a pipe 70 I to a liquid trap 71, from which the liquid is led back to the vapor separator 2O by a pipe 72. The pipe 72 is formed with a depressed portion 73 which maintains a level of liquid in the pipe so as to prevent the passage of vapors through it.

The vapors from the trap 71 pass by a pipe 74 to the fractional oil condenser 6.- Each of the fractional oil condensers is formed with a vapor inlet 76 near its bottom Fig. 3) and a vapor outlet 7 8 nearits top, and located between the inlet 76 and outlet 78'are upper and lower partitions 8O and 82, in which are mounted the ends of open tubes 84. The pipes -30 which conduct the crude oil to the condensers communicate with them at points slightly below` the upper partitions 80, and the outlet pipes 32 for crude oil are connected with the condensers at points slightly above thelower partitions 82. Baltics 86 extending inwardly from the walls of the condensers in opposite directions compel the crude oil to iiow in a tor-` of the condensersto throw down any liquid oil which may still remain in thev vapors and to distribute the vapors uniformly in the tubes 84. rlhe condensed distillate is withdrawn from the coiidensers through` seals k90 which maintain a constant liquid level in the condensers and prevent the escape of vapors from them. l

The vapors from the vapor separator which are not condensed in the fractional oil condenser 6 are conducted by a pipe 92 (Fig. 4) to the inlet 7 6 of the succeeding condenser 4, and the vapors which Vpass through the condenser 4 Without condensa.- tion are led by a pipe 94 to the condenser 2. The most volatile vapors which escape condensation in all of the condensers G, 4, and 2, How through a pipe 96 (Fig. 1) te a condenser 98 of the conventional box type.

The oil Which does not vaporize in the vapor separator 20 is withdrawn therefrom along a pipe 100 by a pump 102 (Fig. 1) Which forces it through a heating coil Aor pipe still 104 into the second vapor separator 22. From the top of separator 22, the portion of the oil Which vaporizes at the temperature to which the oil is raised in the i heating coil 104 passes by a pipeV 10G to a liquid trap 108 connected to the vapor' separator 22 by a liquid return pipe analogous to the pipe 72 of the liquid trap 71. A pipe 110 receives the vapors from the trap 108 and delivers them to the inlet 7 6 of the fractional oil condenser 12. Steam may also be introduced in the separator 22 `outlet 78 of the condenser 8 communicates with the pipe 74', by Which the vapors are discharged from the first vapor separator 20. Consequently,vthe vapors from the vapor separator 22 VWhich remain uncondensed in passing through the fractional oil condensers l2, l0, and 8 are combined with the vapors from the first vapor separator 20 and pass With them into the condensers 6, 4, and 2.

Liquid oil is Withdrawn from the separator 22 through a pipe 118 by a pump 120 and forced through a second heating coil or pipe still 122, and a pipe 123 into theiinal vapor separator 24. The temperature of the loil is further raised in passing through the heating coil 122 and additional heat is supplied by the oil passing through the vapor separator 24. By the time the oil reaches the bottom of the vapor separator 24, the greater portion of its most volatile constituents is separated from it. In as much as the temperature of the oil is raised gradually in the fractional oil condensers, heat exchanger 43, and heating coils 104 and 122, and opportunity is given in the separators 20, 22` and -24'for vapors to pass off, the

vapors, including even the most volatile, are not super-heated or cracked to any substantial degree.

In order to drive offthe last of the light vapors from the oil which reaches the vapor separator 24, the separator is arranged to heat the oil by the exhaust flue gases from the pipe stills 104 and 122. The construction of the vapor separator 24 is shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 7. This separator comprises an outer shell 124 Which surrounds an inner exhaust fiue 125. The shell 124 is mounted upon a chimney 126 for the exhaust flue gases from the pipe stills, and the flue 1125 forms a continuation of the chimney flue. A series of downwardly and outwardly projecting ballies 127 is secured to the flue 125, and a series of downwardly and inwardly projecting bahes 128 are secured to the shell so as to overlap the baffles 127. The oil to be vaporized is led into the shell 124 through `a pipe 123, -to a distributor 129 which surrounds the flue 125. The oil is delivered from the distributor 129 directly upon the uppermost baffle 127 and then follows a zigzag path in passing downwardly through the separator. The vapors which are released from the oil leave the separator through outlets 130 Which are arranged at opposite sides of the separator, there being an outlet `for each pair of baiiies. A protecting shield 132 is placed over each outlet 130 to prevent oil from being drawn directly into the outlet. By having the outlets 130 arranged at different levels along the separator the vapors are removed as formed so that there is no scrubbing action of the vapors and the oil which tends to recondense the vapors. The residuum oil Which reaches the bottom of the separator is collected in a manifold 184, from which it may bel conducted to the re-run stills by a pipe 135. The vapors passing through the outlets 130 pass through risers 136 to a manifold 137, from Which they may pass to the fractional oil condensers.

)Vith this construction the oil entering the vapor separator 24'may be reduced to any desired gravity. The greater portion of the oil is vaporized due to being heated in the pipe coil `122 and the residual vapors may be driven out of the oil in the separator 24 by means of the k.heat of the exhaust flue gases from the pipe still furnace. This heat is imparted directly to the flue 125 and thus acts upon the oil While it is spread in films upon the baffles 127 and 128. Preferably the shell 124 is'insulated to effectively conserve the heat of the flue gases.

The vapor separator 24 (Fig. 2) is elevated above the heating coils 104 and 122, and vapor separators 20 and 22 so as to cause oil to flow by gravity to the re-run stills. The fractional oil condensers 2, 4, 6, 10, 12, 14 and'16 are also elevated at subtures, purer distillates, and the lifting effect of the steam in removing thelast portions of light `oil from the body of .oil being'distillcd. This `feature of myA invention is deemed ofgreat value 4and importance.

rIlhe pumps. 102 and 120I maintain a posi,-

tive circulation ofLoil kin the heating coils A104 and v122, which causes the oil in the coils g to be uniformlyheated. If a'positive cirfculation were. not maintained, portions of the oil might be vaporized in the, coils and the vapors superheated and cracked, thus causing carbon to be deposited. rIhe pipe coils would thus become obstructed, in consequence ofl which otherportions of the oil y would become superheated and more carbon would be deposited; In this manner, the pipe coils might vsoon becomeclogged to van extent such as to render further use of the apparatus impracticable until they had been taken apart and cleaned.` The confinement of the oil in theheating coils 104 and `122 retards its vaporization, and, on account of the uniform heating of the oilin'the coils which Aresults from the 4positive circulation and unobstructed rflow `of the oil,very little, if any vaporization ofthe oiltalres place in them. The pumps 26, 102, and 120 are preferably operated to effect a relatively' rapid circulation of the oilthrough the heat eX- changcr 43, the fractional oil con'densers, and the heating coils 104 and 122 Yso Aas to give the plant a high capacity forV distillation.

Vapors are vconducted from the top of the vapor separator 24 to aliquid trap-138 by-a pipe 140. For convenience, the liquid trap 138 is mounted substantially vat the level of the vapor separator 24 and the fractional oil condensers. A liquidoutletpipe 142 connects the bottom ofthe trap 138 with the bottom of theseparator24. vFrom'the trap 138, the vapors pass into a pipe144 which leads them into .the bottom of the fractional oilcondenser 16 wheretheheavier vapors are liquefied. The remainder of the" vapors issues from the upper `portion of the condenser 16 into a pipe l146 which conducts them into the condenser 14. The vapor outlet` 78 of the condenser 14 communicates with the pipe 110, sov that the vapors `from the separator 24 which are not condensed 'in either of the condensers 16 and14 are'jcomrhined with thevapors from thevapor separator 22, and, in the event that they remain uncondensed, pass on through the condensers 12, 10,v 8, 6, 4, and 2 and the pipe 96 to the box condenser 98. e y l v As hitherto'stated, the illustrated apparatus is particularly designed to remove the lightfconstituents from crude oil. In the treatment ofcertain kinds of crude oil, for y example, ythat commonly known as Kansas crude, these light constituents amount to about 40% of the whole. In the operation of a plant of the illustratedconstruction, in n which the yvapors from the first vapor separator pass through three-fractionaloilcondensers, the'vapors from the second vapor separator pass through three separate fracl tional oil condensers and then through the Lfirst three condensers, and the vapors from the'y third and last rvapor separator` pass through two condensers exclusive to it and then through the other si'X` condensers, the distillate isfdivided roughly into 5% fractions. These fractions are groupedaccording to` their rboiling points, the distillate `of the highest boiling point being collected in the-.condenser 16 and those of successively lower boiling points being brought together in the other condensers in order of theirfreinoteness from the condenser 16. If any of the lighter portionsA of the oil fail of vaporizationin ythe vapori' separator 20, they will be v'aporized either in the vapor separator 22 `or 24, and in the lvapor state will traverse the fractional oil condensers until they fjoin in the rcondensers 6, 4 and 2 the portions of like volatility which were vaporized f iny the rst vapor separator. s Analogously, ifanyy oil normally vaporizable at the temperature ofthe oil in the vapor separator 22 should not be vaporized in such separator, it will be vaporized in the kvapor separator 24 and willthen pass through the condensers 16 and 14 and join distillates of light vvolatility in the condensers 12, 10 and 8.` In this manner, the distillates are classified so precisely invaccordance with their boiling points that thefractions'in the condensers 2, 4,6, y

8, 10, 12,.'14and 16 closely approach commercial requirements.

'Asthe oil progresses through the yvapor separators 20, 22 and 24 the temperature is gradually increased to drive off the higher boiling s point vapors. Therefore the oil leavingthe vapor separator 20 is heated in the pipe coil 104 to akk higher temperature than it is heated in the fractional condensers; The oil leaving the vapor separator 22 e is heated to a higher temperature inthe coil 122. thanthe oil is. heated in the coil 104. The Vpipe coils 104 andf122 are mounted in the-same furnace (see Figs. 1 and 2)..v The ycoil 104 ismounted in the cooler or heating chambensand the pipe `coil 122 is mounted in' the hotter or combustionchamber. The vcoils 104 and 122 consistof aseries o'iQtQ-P connected pipes which extend transversely of thefurnace, their ends projecting through walls 148 and 150 at'opposite ends of the furnace. The individual pipes of the coils nare connected by return bends and a protecting casing 152 is placed over the return bends. To heat the furnace a series of burners 154 are mounted in a Dutch oven 156 at the front ofthe furnace. The combustion gases from the Dutch oven pass inwardly to the combustion chamber of the furnace and pass around a series of baffles 158, (Fig. 2)` to an exhaust flue 160 which connects 'with the chimney 126. In order to carry out the vprogressive heating of the oil, the oil from the separator 20 passes through the pipe into the bottom lof the coil 104 and leaves the top of the coil 104in passing to lthe separator 22. Therefore, the oil leaving the coilf104 is in contact with the hottest gases, Vand the oil entering the coil 104 is in contact with the coolest gases. The oi'l from the separator 22 passes through a pipe 118 into the top or coolest portion of the coil 122 and leaves the bottom or hottest portion of the coil 122 through the pipe 123 in passing to the separator 24. The casings 152 around the return bends of the pipe coils are preferably provided with doors by which access may be obtained to the return bends Without the necessity of entering the heating chambers of thev furnace. Therefore, the return bends may be removednfrom the coils and the coils cleaned without previously cooling down the furnace.

The distillates which need to be redistilled are conducted from the fractional oil condensers to a series of-re-run stills. y The illustrated. apparatus. comprises five such stills designated on the drawings by the numerals 216, 218, 220, 222 and 224. The rerun stills are of like construction, the detail construction being illustrated in Fig.V 6. Each re-run still comprises a cylindrical vessel having similarly located rectangular openings in its opposite ends. These openings are covered by open-ended chambers 225 and 226 having transverse cross-sections of substantiallythe shape and size of the openings. Perforated tube plates 228 are placed over the outer ends of the` chambers 225 and 226, and to the outer sides of the plates 228 are secured respectively headers 230 and 232. Mounted in the perforations in the plates 228 are the ends of tubes 234 arranged to conduct a hot liquid from one of the headers to the other.

Each of the re-run stills is separated in to a number of compartments by longitudinally disposed partitions 236 extending upwardly from the bottom of the stillf'to a `distillates in the re-run stills.

titions 236are located in substantially the same horizontal plane at a considerable distance from the top of the still so as to provide a vapor space at the top of the still commento all of the compartments; ends of the partitions 236 are reduced and fit into the chambers 225 and 226 against the perforated plates 228, and the partitions are provided at alternately opposite ends with openings 238 arranged in vertical rows. Oil is introduced into each of the re-run stills through an inlet 240 at one side of the chamber 225. Inasmuch as the openings 238 in the partition 236 adjacent to the oil inlet 240 are at the opposite end of the still from the oil inlet, the oil is caused to flow from the inlet to the other end of the still. From thence it` passes through the openings 238 in the first partition'into the next adjacent compartment of the still which it traverses in a direction opposite to the direction of its iiow in the first com partment. The oil then passes through the openings 238 in the second vpartition and vproceeds in this way through the several vcompartments of the still, traversing adjacent compartments of the still in opposite directions. The unvaporized portion of the oil issues from the still through an oil outlet 242 in the chamber 225.

In the operation of the apparatus the heat of the residuum is utilized to re-distill the The header 230 of each of the re-runstills is provided witha residuum inlet 244 and a residuum outlet 246. Partitions 248 and 250 are prom vided in the headers 230 and 232 respectively, and are so arranged as to cause the residuum to flow in alternately opposite directions through the groups of pipes 234 located in the successive compartments of the still. The chamber 225 containing the oil inlet 240 and outlet 242 and the header 230 carrying the residuum inlet 244 and outlet 246 are positioned at the same end of the still, and the residuum inlet 244 and outlet i 24,6 are located on the same sides of the still as the. oil outlet 242 and inlet 240 respectively. VVith this arrangement, the residuum is caused to` flow through the pipes 234 in the various compartments of the still in a direction opposite to the direction of the flow of the oil in the compartments.

Perforated steam pipes 252 are placed on the still bottom in each of the compartments l.

The

with valvesv268, and valves270 arelocated in thepipe 262 betweenthe inlet pipe 264 and outlet pipe 266 of each still. The valvesV 27 O are normally closed and the valves 268 open. If desired, however, any of the re-run stills may be cut off from the path of flow of the residuum by closing the valves 268 in its inlet Vand outlet pipes and opening the appropriate valve 270. The residuum from the final re-run still 224 of the series enters a pipe27l and is conducted to the heat exchanger 43.`

Each ofthe re-run stills l216, 218,220, 222, and 224 is provided with crock tower 272 through which vapors pass from the still. If desired, 'these towers `may be provided with vsafety vacuum and pressure relief valves. In the illustrated construction, the crock towers (Figs. 2, 5, and 6) are mounted on the tops of the re-run stills ad# jacent to the ends of the stills at which the inlets and outlets for oil and residuum are located'. The croclrtowers 27 2 (Fig. 6) con-` sist of vertically disposed cylindrical chambers,l at the bottoms of lwhich are gratings comprising parallel bars 274 adapted to 'sup-` port croclrtile 276. ldanifestly, the croclr tile maybeof any1 desiredcharacter. vlhose, illustratedV inthe accompanying drawings are formed with spiral passages for the oil and vapors,`and,are*we`ll adapted for use in the crock towers 272,lsince they present large contact surfaces. Disposed above the tile in the'croclr towers are four-armed spray pipes 278 Awhereby oil may be injecteddr,

rectly into the crock tower 272, and supported over the pipe 278 is a perforated baille plate 280, the function of whichis topre- Ato vent liquid oil from being mechanically transported from the crock towersby the vapors. .Pipes 282 adjacent tothe tops of the crockV towers conduct the 'vapors from them to condensers` 283 of the conventional 'boX type.

tubes 285 arranged to deliver the oil into the l l compartments of the stills with which the oil inlets 240 communicate. By. reason of this arrangement, oil which is condensed in a crock tower and isy returned to the correspendingl re`run still, and oil whichfirst enters the re-run `still by way kof the crock tower is raised to the temperature of the rest of the oiliny thev still before 'it reaches the outlet 242. f f

The re-run stills and crock towers are not claimed per se in this application, since they are coveredk by my application, Serial No. 537,414., flied Feb. is, 192i, ratus for refining oil.. f

lThe means yfor conducting the distillate from the fractional oil condensers 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, l2, 14, and 16 to the? crock towers 272 and the re-runk stills comprises manifold.` piping 286 `(Figs.-4 and communicating with pipes 290 rand 292, which supply .they

distillate to the spray pipes `27 8 in the crock towers 272 and to theoil -inlets240 ofthe ref run stills respectively. The liow of the dis` tillate through the pipes 292 is controlled by valves 294 (Fig. 2) and the amount of dis-` into the crock` towers tillate .admitted p through the pipes 290 and 278 is regulated for appa-i by'valves 296. By changing the amount of N distillate introduced into any of the towers 272, the quality of the vapor evolved from lie tower maybe varied as desired.

Although the distillates from the fractional oil condensers are stillA warm when they enter the re-run stills and crock towers, the portion of the distillate which is discharged into thecrock towers causes the upper portions of the towers to berelatively cool as compared with their bottomportions. Consequently, a portion of the vapors will ybe condensed as they rise in the. crock tow ers. The condensed oil, however, as it flows downwardly inthe crock towers meets they hot vapors rising from the still and maybe again vaporized. towers act contlnuously to rey-boil the 'foil ln this y way, the crock' which results inelfecting a maximum separation of the distillate within the required boiling point range. v v

,The oil outlet 242 ofthe re-run still 224 connects with a pipe 298, by which the bottom oil from the -still 224 is combined with thefoil entering the re-run still 222 by the pipe 292. ln a like manner, the bottom oil llO in Fig. `l. It will be Vnoted from the forev going that `the iiow` of bottom oil in the rerun stills is from the still 224 to the still 216,

Whereas the flow Aof residuum in the stills is from the still216 to the still 224.`

. The apparatus is preferably equipped with Vcoolers for cooling the lighter low boiling oil fractions which do notrequire tobe jre-run. Two such coolers 304 and 306 are indicated diagrammatically in Fig. l between the condenser 98 and the upper one of the condensers 283. `The coolers 304 and 306 are `connected to the manifold piping pipes 312, 314,- 316, 318, 320, 322,324 and 326 respectively (Fig.V 4). The streams of valve 330 is normally closed and the valve 332 normally open so as to cause the distillate'to be delivered to the re-run still 216. The pipes 324, 322 and 320 associated with the fractional oil condensers 14, 12 and 10 areconnected with pipes 334, 336 and 338 arranged to deliver distillate to the re-run stills 218, 220, andj222 respectively. The pipe 334 is provided with a valve 339 disposed in the path of flow of distillate from they pipe 324 to thel re-run still 218, and the pipes 336- and 338 are each equipped withl valves on opposite sides of the point of connection of the pipes 322 and 320 with them. These valves are designated in Fig. 1 by the numerals 340, 342, 344, and 346. Short pipes 348, 350, and 352 connect the pipes 328, 334, 336 and 338 intermediate between the valves 330, 340, and 342. c Y

The pipes`318 and 316 leading from the fractional oil condensers 8 and 6 are connected with vpipes 354 and 356 respectively. The pipe 354 is provided with a valve 357, and a pipe 358 joins the pipes 338 and 354 intermediate between the valves 342 and 357. The pipe 356 is arranged to deliver distillate to the ire-run still 224, and is provided between the pipe 316 andthe re-run still 224 with a valve 360. A pipe 362 joins the pipe 356 to the pipe 354, and a valve 364 is located in the pipe 356 between the pipes 316 and 354. A short pipe 366 controlled by a valve 368 connects the pipe 354 with the pipe 338 intermediate between the valve 346 and the re-run still 222. On the opposite side of the valve 346, the pipe 338 is connected' to the pipe 336 by a short ypipe 370 which is controlled by a valve 372. lhe-pi'peA 370 joins the pipe 336 between the kvalve 344 and the re-run still 220. ln a lilremanner, another pipe 374 having a valve 376 unites the pipesy336 and 334 between the valve 339 and the re-rnn still '218. The valves 330, 340,' 342, 357, ses, .37eme 376 are normally closed, and the valves 332, 339, 344, 346, 364, and 360 are normally open.

With the arrangement of pipes and valves above described,'the flow of distillate from the fractional oil condenser 16 may be diverted from the re-run still 216 to the still 218 by closing the valve 332 and opening the valve 330; the flow of distillate from the fractional oil condenser 14 may be diverted from the re-run still 218 to the still 220 by. closing the valve-339 and opening the valve 340; the flow of distillate from the fractional oil condenser 12 may be diverted from the re-run still 220 to the still 222 by closing the valve 344 and opening the valve 342; and the flow of distillate from the fractional oil condenser 10 may be diverted from the re-run still 222to the still 224 by closing the valve 346 and opening the valve 357. The distillates from the fractional oil condensers 8 and 6 normally combine and flow into the re-run still 224. lf desired, however, the distillate from the condenser 8 may be combined with that from the fractional oil condenser 10 and caused to flow into the re-run still 222 by closing the valve 364 and openingthe valve 368. Moreover, assuming that the valve 364 isin its normally open position, if the valve 360 is closed and the valve 368 opened, the distillate from both of the fractional oil condensers 8 and 6 will be delivered into the re-run still 222. It may be desired under some conditions of o eration of the plant'to divert the distillate from the fractional oil condenser 10 into the re-run still 220 while the distillate from either or both of the fractional oil condensers 8 and 6 is being fed into there-run still-222. This may be effected by-closing the valve 346 and opening the valve 372. In a like manner, while the distillate from fractional oil condenser 10 is being directed to re-run still 220, the distillate from the fractional oil con'- denser 12 may be diverted from the re-run still 220 to the still 218 by closing the valve 344 and opening the valve 376. It will also be apparent that by closing the valvek 339 Vand opening they valve 330, the distillate from the fractional oil condenser 14 maybe combined withthat from the fractional oil condenser 16 and caused to liow into the -re-run still 216.

As previously indicated, it is believed that the distillates from the fractional oil condensers 2 and 4 will not ordinarily require to be re-run. In order that they may be rerun, `if desired, however, the pipe 310 is connected to the pipe 338 by a shortpipe 378 controlled by a valve 380, and the pipe 308 is joined to the pipe 356 by a pipe 382 controlled by a valve 384. The pipe 310 has a'valvec386 between the pipe 378 and the cooler 306, andthe pipe 308 has a similarly located valve 388 between the pipe 382 and the cooler 304. A pipe 390 controlled by a valve 392 connects the pipe 382'to the pipe 378 between the valve 380 and the pipe 310. When the valves 386 and 388 are closed and the valves 380 and 384 are open, the distillate from the condensers 4 and 2 will be delivered to the re-run stills 322 and 324 respectively. Byopening the valve 392 and closing the valves 380 and 386 the: `.distillate @from the condenser'4 may be caused to flow into the re-run-still 224.v Y V f Itis believed that it will .bel evident without further exposition that vthe illustrated distillate from any of the condensersl 2, l4, 6, 8,;10, 12, 14, and l'to be delivered leither by itselil or in combination with; distillate, from otheinb condensers into any of the re-run stills or coolers where it may be desirable to deliverit. inasmuch asit is believed that the distillate from `,the fractional oil 'con-` denser 16 contains sulicientflight'oilto justify re-running it, such distillate is,`` inthe 5 illustratedv apparatus, deliveredfto there-run stills. It, howevenit should prove to be un-v economical to re-run the distillate irointhe condenser v16, itmay .be bypassed around the re-run stills to-coolers and storage;

O' lin the use of the apparatus, thedistilla tion of the oil is carried on continu'ou'sly,iand

the final distillates are substantially finished products requiring no .further distillation. The crock towersl 272 cause the finished pro--V ducts to be of deiinite gravities and boilingV points, and the use oi? steamin the re-run stillsL supplements the action of the croclr towers in causing the finished products to be of good quality and color.

The sections 42 and 44 of the heat exchanger'43 comprise outer tubes 394 (Figs. 11, 12 and 13)l each containing a number of smaller tubes 396. jIn the illus- 5 through the tubes 394 andcouplings 398and are mounted at their opposite ends in open-j ings inV plates 402 clamped-betweenv the couplings and rings 404 threaded onthe `elbows 400. The ends oi the tubes 396 are reduc-ed Y is introduced at 416 inthe end of the cou- --Yat 406 where they extend into the openings plates 402 are enlarged on the outer side of the plate to receive glands 408` which are pressed against the,V tubes 396` by threaded Jferrules 410. The inlet412.or residuumis ,constituted by the laterallyV extended por tion ofthe coupling 398 on one ot the bottom l i tubes 394, and the residuum outlet 414 isconstitute'd by a like portion ofthe coupling 398 on kone oi' the upper tubes, .The crude oil v` plingink which the residuum `outlet` 414 is provided and issues at 418 from lthe end ofthe `coupling which contains the residuum.`

5 inlet 412.

' fressen arrangementoiV pipes and valves enables thev i 're'siduumA trated' construction, sevenv tubes 396 (Figiv of the plates 402, and theopening's of the Y. Residuuinliowsalongthe tubes 39,4"out-H .i

side ofy the innergtub'es. 396 and passes from` one )tol another kof the jtubes through the f lliterally` extended .portions of the couplings i 398.; The `crude, oil on the other hand tlows through the srnallefrtubes396 and elbows,

400.k f this manner, the crude oil'l and resi? eachrother, "and in separate fpaths through `the heat .exchangerl 43. Y The residuum after ductedv by pipes-419 and 420to a cooler 422 *ln'order to prevent lthetubes 396fro1n being.distorted by their weight, the .bodies f `of the tubes are supported in properspac'ed f duuniare caused to flow .counterfcurrentto i' relationfto; each other kby spiders `423.` The opening to receive the!V center tube 396, and

are urther `lfnovid'ed withsigr `equally spaced radial arms 424-`which-dene cells adapted to receive the'other tubes 396 lwhich arezarl-` 'y i ranged in a circle about the central tube.y

'Preferably, and as'shown, the circularly arranged tubes 396 are held in place inthe onjeachside ofthe-spider 423. q

@The .y manner of operation `of the illus-` trate'd apparatus may -be briefly summa'r@ ized as follows `The crude oil enters the'MapsV paratus along thepipe 28, `and eitherthe spiders 423. are formedto provide a central w y f90 Aspider 42,3r by metal straps 426 disposed'one wholeV of the foil passes` in seriesjthrough thefractio'nal `oil conden'sers-2, 4, G, 8, 10,

*'12, "14, and Vir1 6, and'tlie 'residuum heat eX- 'changer43f'to thek pipe`50 andvthenceto Ythe iirstlvapor separator 20, 'or ay portion ofi the oil passes through the fractionall` oil co'ndensers and another portion throughthe U Iheat exchanger,l after which both portions'ot .the oil Yagain unite yin the pipe 50"and' are` discharged into the `vapor separator20.` Y

The. most f volatile 3 constituents of the oil,v

vaporize in the separator 20 and pass V'oil'i to 'becondensed` rlheliquidl oil which colf,

lects in the separatorfis forced vthrough thej irsth'eating; coil 104 to Vthe vapor separator 22.? i Fromthe' vapor` separator 22, other `vav-pors pass off'vv to the condensers, whilethe liquidis pumped through the second-heating coil 122 to the thirdvapor separato@V The, vaporization of oil'in the .separators 20 and-22maybe assisted and controlled the admissionof steaniffThe vaporization l offoilinfthe final separator 24 is controlled bythe heat ofthe exhaustflue products.:

y The` vapors given oit 'from the `first va#` I p'or'separator 20`are conducted by the pipe" .74fto fractional oil.` condenser 0, from.

whence theuncondensed plortion'of the va-j pors passes to condensers 4 `1;I1Cl"2.` The vapors from' the second vapor separ`atorl22' are led by the pipe 110 to fractionaloil'conl denser 12 which communicatesl V,successively l with .fractional oil condensers 10, 8, 6, 4 and 2. The vapors from,v the third vapor sep- `leaving. the heat exchanger 43 maybe vcon.- i

arator24c'are delivered: to the fractional oil condenser* 16 and VpassonA through the series ofco'ndensers 14;, 12, 10,8, 6, .41, 311612,' lcounter-current*to the flowcf the'crude oil inifthe condensersqf'llhe 'pipe .96 conducts uncondelisedvaporsfrom the series effractional yoil condensers tothe. boxlcondenser 'Y LThedistilliites in the fractionztloil condensers 16', 14., v'12, 10, 8, 6, 4, andy 2, are 'i caused to flow through the manifold286 to y the re-run stills 216, 218, 220, 222, Aand 224*` Y nd the coolers 304 `and 306. The vapors arising from they re-distillation of thejdistilltes in the rerun, stills are conducted bypipes 282 tobox condensers 283.`

The bottom oil( in there-run stills flows through them successively from' the stillr22fl to the stillv 216cou1iter-current to flow ot the-residuumv used for heating the stills, `and 1 carries it to the cooler 302. .v l ,i

The residuum Which issues rom'the sep-r leavesy hestill 216 through a pipe 300, which arator 2tkvt-hrough lthe pipe '135 is conveyed -r to the re-.run still 21.6. The residuumthen passes successively through the re-run stills"l from the still 216 to the still 224, after which it Yflows along the pipe 271,130 the residuuml heatexchanger 43 and from thence intovthe` cooler L122. l Y

`The'distillates which collect inthe condensers 98 and 283 and the 'coolers 304V and 306 areinished products except for treat-l ing other than distillation.' c

Y .From the foregoing, it will be apparent lthat thefhezitl evolved-from the'fvapors 1n their condensa-tion isV utilized to raise the temperature` ofthe crude oil 'and the primii-ry distillates `are re-r-un and the tem-1` perature'of the crude oil further raised by heatrecovered fromthe reslduum. Consequently, very little, if any, heat which might be usedvto further the process of distillation is lost in the operation of the -upparatus. v

' Having Vfully described my invention,-

ujhat I claim. as newA :md desire to secure by LettersyPatent .of the United States, is:

'71. An oil distillingapparatus comprisin u` furnace, V:m oil heating coil mounted therein, au upright exhaust Hue lif'or said furnace, means forming 21 chamber around a portion-'of said Hue, outwardly projectingv balilesfony said flue Within saidv chamber, in-

Wzirdly. project-ingbeles in seid'chamber,

',vaporoutlets' torl saidchamber 'andmeans toepassing heated yoil from lsaid coil onto Y the:r upperbaiiles in seid chamber.

Y er

The apparatus 'defined in claim 1iny which said inwardly and outwardly proA jecting Vbaille'scare lvertically spaced apart and alternately-overlap each other.

`In testimonywhereof I Vaiixv my signature.

STEPHEN; scHWAmjzg.V 

